John 6

Five Thousand Men Fed

1After these things 1Jesus went away to the other side of 2the Sea of Galilee (or 3Tiberias). 2A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the 45signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3But 6Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4Now 7the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5So Jesus, after raising His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to 8Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?” 6But He was saying this only to 9test him, for He Himself knew what He intended to do. 710Philip answered Him, “11Two hundred 12denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, for each to receive just a little!” 8One of His 13disciples, 14Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two 15fish; but what are these for so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was 16plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about 1718five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and 19after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the 20fish, as much as they wanted. 12And when they had eaten their fill, He said to His 21disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and filled twelve 22baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14Therefore when the people saw the 23sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the 24Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Water

15So Jesus, aware that they 25intended to come and take Him by force 26to make Him king, 27withdrew again to 28the mountain by Himself, alone.

16Now when evening came, His 29disciples went down to the sea, 17and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea 30to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19Then, when they had rowed about 31twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. 20But He said to them, “It is I; 3233do not be afraid.” 21So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

22The next day 34the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there except one, and that Jesus 35had not gotten into the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had departed alone. 23Other small boats came from 36Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the 37Lord 38had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats and 39came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus. 25And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “40Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Words to the People

26Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you 41seek Me, not because you saw 4243signs, but because you ate some of the loaves and were filled. 27Do not 44work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for 45eternal life, which 46the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, 47has set His 48seal.” 28Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is 49the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He 50has sent.” 30So they said to Him, “51What then are You doing as a 52sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing? 3153Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘54He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33For the bread of God is 55that which 56comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.” 34Then they said to Him, “Lord, always 57give us this bread.”

35Jesus said to them, “58I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me 59will never be thirsty. 36But 60I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe. 3761Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. 38For 62I have come down from heaven, 63not to do My own will, but 64the will of Him who 65sent Me. 39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of 66everything that He has given Me I will 67lose nothing, but will 68raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who 69sees the Son and 70believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will 71raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

4172So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that 73came down out of heaven.” 42And they were saying, “74Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother 75we know? How does He now say, ‘76I have come down out of heaven’?” 43Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. 44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me 77draws him; and I will 78raise him up on the last day. 45It is written 79in the Prophets: ‘80And they shall all be 81taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 4682Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes 83has eternal life. 4884I am the bread of life. 4985Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that 86comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and 87not die. 5188I am the living bread that 89came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, 90he will live forever; and the bread which I will give 91for the life of the world also is 92My flesh.”

5293Then the Jews 94began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of 95the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will 96raise him up on the last day. 55For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood 97remains in Me, and I in him. 57Just as the 98living Father 99sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58This is the bread that 100came down out of heaven, not as 101the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread 102will live forever.”

Words to the Disciples

59These things He said 103in the synagogue as He taught 104in Capernaum.

60So then many of His 105disciples, when they heard this, said, “106This statement is very 107unpleasant; who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, 108aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this 109110offensive to you? 62What then if you see 111the Son of Man 112ascending to where He was before? 63113It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; 114the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. 64But there are 115some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus 116knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and 117who it was who would 118betray Him. 65And He was saying, “For this reason I have 119told you that no one can come to Me unless 120it has been granted him from the Father.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66As a result of this many of His 121disciples 122left, and would no longer walk with Him. 67So Jesus said to 123the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68124Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have 125words of eternal life. 69And we have already believed and have come to know that You are 126the Holy One of God.” 70Jesus answered them, “127Did I Myself not choose you, 128the twelve? And yet one of you is 129a devil.” 71Now He meant Judas 130the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, 131one of 132the twelve, 133was going to betray Him.